Photo used for illustrative purpose.

The Dubai Criminal Court sentenced seven Arabs and Asians to three years in jail to be followed by deportation for six of them and fined them SR1.8 million (Saudi riyal) or equivalent amount in Emirati dirhams on charges of luring a Gulf investor and stealing SR1.8m from him.

The defendants assaulted the victim and his companion and defrauded him by offering him a better exchange rate of the UAE dirham than the price given by the money exchange companies in Dubai. 

The case dated back to November last year when a Gulf investor filed a complaint in which he stated that he had been robbed under duress by several people of different nationalities.

He stated in the Public Prosecution investigations that he contacted his partner — the second victim — to inquire about a person working in the exchange business to help him change around SR2 million.

The victim continued that his partner provided him with the number of a person with whom he agreed to change his money at a price better than the rate given by exchange companies. They agreed on the place where the money was to be exchanged and on the exchange rate.

When the victim and his partner arrived at the agreed-upon place, three of the suspects were waiting for him and one of them asked him to bring his money and go with him in his vehicle but the victim refused and preferred to walk to where the money was to be exchanged.

In the meantime, he was stopped by others who claimed they were from the police and forced him to get into a vehicle, which contained two others including a Gulf citizen. There, all the suspects assaulted him and stole the money that was in his possession. Later, the victim reported what happened to the police.

The second victim stated that the suspects had assaulted him and took him in their vehicle to another area, where they forced him to leave their vehicle. He tried to take a photo of the number plate of their vehicle but the driver stopped the vehicle and another suspect assaulted him before they fled away.

A policeman stated in the investigations that a team of detectives and criminal investigation agents gathered inferences and were able to identify the suspects.

They later arrested the Gulf citizen inside his house where SR1 million was found. On interrogation, the suspect admitted that the amount was his share of the theft.  The other suspects were later arrested with sums of Saudi riyals and Emirati dirhams in their possession. They all admitted to have taken part of the crime and to have divided the stolen money among them.